A Glitch
by AlyssWolf
Summary: SPOILERS! The year is 1911. Bonnie MacFarlane is running her ranch on a warm afternoon when a very unexpected visitor drops by. Despite her overflowing joy, something just doesn't seem right...


Bonnie shielded her eyes from the sharp light of the afternoon sun with her hand. She flicked the well worked piece of straw in her mouth to the ground. She adjusted her position on the porch railing and drew in a long, deep breath. Something didn't feel quite right. She bit her lip and scanned the horizon and then the ranch, picking out familiar faces yet barley letting the afternoon chatter brush her ears. She just couldn't put her finger on something she feared was frighteningly real. She rubbed her temples in pain, the faint throbbing becoming stronger all the time.

Suddenly a warm weight dropped on her shoulder, knocking her from the realm of her deep thoughts and she cried out in surprise, forgetting her pain.

"Howdy there Ms. MacFarlane!" Bonnie did a double take as she recognized the rich voice of none other than John Marston. She whipped around, nearly stumbling down the stairs as she did so.

"J-john!? What're you doing here? I thought you were giving domestic life another go!"

John smiled. "Well, I just got the urge to pay a visit to an old friend." Bonnie's heart skipped a beat as she gazed up a the former outlaw, his back to the main house, face practically glowing, outlined in orange sunlight.

"I-I you're always welcome here, Mr. Marston!" Bonnie's heart swelled. "I mean, I reckon after all the help you've given us, I'll never properly be able to repay you!" John scratched the back of his neck and rocked his weight back on his heels.

"You mean I'll never be able to properly repay YOU for saving my life, Ms. MacFarlane." He took a step towards her as he grinned with his eyes.

Bonnie licked her lips and cleared her throat. "How's Mrs. Marston?" John paused for a moment before raising an eyebrow in confusion. "I'm not sure how you mean? I thought I told you before..." John's eyes filled with genuine sorrow before he continued. "I lost my wife years ago to sickness."

Bonnie's head reeled. While she knew by know that she had fallen head over heels for the cowboy, his being single only made her chances with him increase ten fold. Yet something, some blur in her mind kept her from accepting his statement. John stretched out his hand and lightly brushed Bonnie's bangs from her face.

"You feeling alright Ms. MacFarlane? You don't look so good."

Bonnie struggled to breath evenly as her mind toiled away at finding the inaccuracy of the situation. The blip, the glitch.

John pressed his palm into her forehead. "You're burning up! I think you oughta lay down."

Bonnie closed her eyes and shook her head furiously. "No, no I'll be just fine."

John frowned with concern and took Bonnie by the shoulder. "I really think you oughta take it easy, Bonnie." Bonnie felt real heat fan her cheeks as her name slid gracefully out of John's mouth. She closed her eyes and leaned into John's touch, giving up on that unruffling feeling. This was her chance, and something told her that she wouldn't get another one like it again.

"Maybe I...should get some rest. Help me upstairs John?" She purred the name as if it belonged to the most delicate of men in the world. There was an audible swallow.

"Of course, ma'am." Bonnie leaned her side heavily into John's as he carefully lead her inside, one hand positioned on her shoulder, the other gripping her hand softly. Bonnie marveled at the overwhelming gentleness of the man that had taken so many lives. As they reached the staircase, Bonnie feigned weakness and began to collapse in the outlaw's arms. "Woah there, you alright?" Bonnie nodded and clutched his hand tighter, wobbling heavily as she took a half step up onto the wooden staircase. John quickly pulled her back down and leaned her back into his chest. "It may be a step over the line, but I think it best I carry you the rest of the way."

Bonnie's heart skipped a beat as she nodded and in an instant felt her feet fly off of the floor as she was swept up in John's arms and up the stairs. As they reached the top, she directed him to her bedroom, heart pounding as they neared the doorway.

John cleared his throat as he cautiously crept through the entrance and laid her down onto the bed. "Do you need me to get your father?" Bonnie's eyes widened as she gripped John's sleeve.

"No!" She cried abruptly.

John froze before feeling her forehead again. Bonnie held her breath as she realized her mistake.

"Hmm...feels normal now to me..." Bonnie blushed and tugged on John's sleeve, pulling him down to sit on the bed; only now regretting her act.

"I think I feel better now. Yeah."

John blinked hard and scratched his head. "Women are so confusing."

Bonnie struggled for one last stand. "Sorry...my...my father won't be back for a while anyway, I'm running the ranch and the house... all by myself." She bit her lip and fidgeted with her fingers hoping that he would take the hint.

Something clicked in John's mind, and just as Bonnie had given up hope and decided to look back up at him, she found her lips engulfed by his. If she had been standing, she knew she would have surely fainted. He tasted like trees and fields, drenched in pouring rain, and she felt her heart soar as she realized she wanted to stay in those places forever.

He pulled away slightly, eyes searching hers for any sign of reaction, instead finding one in her hands, which she wrapped around his middle and gripped his shirt. He clashed his lips into hers once more, this time pinning her down to the mattress, biting her lips as she struggled with shaking fingers to undo his jacket and shirt. This was everything she had dared to dream of and more, ever since she had first nursed him back to health all that time ago. John pressed his body into hers, the friction and heat of their clothes only a nuisance to Bonnie as she gasped and pulled him closer. Her vision swam as John's hands roamed down her body, pausing at her chest and waistline, yet still just touching the fabric.

Bonnie's face burned ever redder as time slowed down yet sped up; clothes she was sure had existed had now vanished and heat consumed her entire body. Her vision tinged with red. Tongues writhed together in rhythm to their bodies as little gasps snuck out of Bonnie's mouth, while John's eyes glazed over.

Bonnie was on top of the world; nothing could bring her down, down, down.

Time slowed almost to a standstill as the faint knocking in her head suddenly pulsed and stopped, flooding her vision with red. She felt a bolt of electricity flash through her mind as the scene froze and her eyes flashed open.

All feelings of warmth and touch faded and clothes appeared back on her body in consecutive instants as she blinked her innocent blonde eyelashes. The room grew red, red and redder still, it turned a deep, dark red, that consumed all life and all feeling until only a patch of John Marston's face remained below his eyes. Bonnie felt her heart beat once as her eyes flooded with uncontrollable tears.

She awoke alone in her room to a flash of lightning striped across her eyes and a clash of thunder jostling her aching head. Water flowing from her eyes and leaking in steady drips from the ceiling, the smell of drenched wood threatening to chip away at her racing heart as the sounds of her anguished sobs drowned out the somber rolling thunder.


End file.
